University board gets advice from accreditation agency.

Published: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 9:43 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 9:43 p.m.

LAKELAND | Florida Polytechnic University leaders spoke with accreditation officials Wednesday morning to launch the intricate process of achieving the status for the new college.

Facts

A concern has been the inability of students to qualify for federal grants. But it can happen before the final accreditation is granted.

Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, provided guidance, tips and encouragement to leaders of the under-construction state university.

Florida Poly board member Sandra Featherman told Wheelan the board is struggling to get started. Despite having funds, a board and newly appointed chief operating officer, it has no classes yet.

"We're not ready now to admit students because we don't have anything in place yet," Featherman said.

Wheelan responded: "We tried to fix that for you but they wouldn't listen to us."

The formation of the university was controversial and unprecedented. It was, originally, to become a college as the now-defunct University of South Florida Polytechnic splintered off from USF. But later, legislation was pushed through to dissolve the USF campus and create an independent university.

In correspondence before the meeting, an outline was provided by Ann Chard, vice president of the accrediting agency, of what will be required for the poly to achieve accreditation.

Put simply, the process involves the university being in operation with enrolled students, securing an audit, submitting an application, being granted candidacy status and then accreditation.

"The entire process to membership takes on average three to six years, depending on the readiness of the institution when it submits its application," Chard said.

A concern has been the inability of students to qualify for federal grants. But it can happen before the final accreditation is granted, Wheelan said.

"Once you get to be a candidate, your institution is eligible to apply for federal aid," she said.

Featherman asked if students would be eligible to apply for financial aid if the university applies for candidacy in December 2014 or December 2015.

"It depends," Wheelan said. "I hate to tell you this, but it depends on how fast the Department of Education moves on that. It will not be retroactive, I can tell you that."

Florida Poly officials were advised to consult with leaders at a Lawrenceville, Ga. university that opened in 2006 as the first, four-year college founded in Georgia in more than 100 years. "Your best bet is to talk to the folks at Georgia Gwinnett," Wheelan said. "We have not had anybody get through the process as fast as them."

According to its web site, the university was granted initial accreditation less than three years after opening its doors to students. The seal of approval came in June 2009, just a year after it was granted candidacy toward accreditation.

"That's as fast as any institution has ever moved to membership," Chard said.

Florida Poly officials said they appreciated the suggestions. "We have been kind of operating half in the dark, and you have shed a lot of light on it for us," Featherman said.

"I even told J.D. we would get you all through it no matter what structure you all came up with," said Wheelan, in what appeared to be a reference to former Sen. J.D. Alexander, the Republican who pushed legislation through to create the university.

Florida Poly Chairman Rob Gidel said the board is determined to put quality over speed. "We are going to do this right," he said.

"There are those (in the political arena) who would like to do things fast in lieu of things that are the right thing to do to make it sustainable. We are not going to try to do it so fast that you end up making all kinds of short-term mistakes. That's just now how we're going to do this."

<p>LAKELAND | Florida Polytechnic University leaders spoke with accreditation officials Wednesday morning to launch the intricate process of achieving the status for the new college.</p><p>Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, provided guidance, tips and encouragement to leaders of the under-construction state university.</p><p>Florida Poly board member Sandra Featherman told Wheelan the board is struggling to get started. Despite having funds, a board and newly appointed chief operating officer, it has no classes yet.</p><p>"We're not ready now to admit students because we don't have anything in place yet," Featherman said.</p><p>Wheelan responded: "We tried to fix that for you but they wouldn't listen to us."</p><p>The formation of the university was controversial and unprecedented. It was, originally, to become a college as the now-defunct University of South Florida Polytechnic splintered off from USF. But later, legislation was pushed through to dissolve the USF campus and create an independent university.</p><p>In correspondence before the meeting, an outline was provided by Ann Chard, vice president of the accrediting agency, of what will be required for the poly to achieve accreditation.</p><p>Put simply, the process involves the university being in operation with enrolled students, securing an audit, submitting an application, being granted candidacy status and then accreditation.</p><p>"The entire process to membership takes on average three to six years, depending on the readiness of the institution when it submits its application," Chard said.</p><p>A concern has been the inability of students to qualify for federal grants. But it can happen before the final accreditation is granted, Wheelan said.</p><p>"Once you get to be a candidate, your institution is eligible to apply for federal aid," she said.</p><p>Featherman asked if students would be eligible to apply for financial aid if the university applies for candidacy in December 2014 or December 2015.</p><p>"It depends," Wheelan said. "I hate to tell you this, but it depends on how fast the Department of Education moves on that. It will not be retroactive, I can tell you that."</p><p>Florida Poly officials were advised to consult with leaders at a Lawrenceville, Ga. university that opened in 2006 as the first, four-year college founded in Georgia in more than 100 years. "Your best bet is to talk to the folks at Georgia Gwinnett," Wheelan said. "We have not had anybody get through the process as fast as them."</p><p>According to its web site, the university was granted initial accreditation less than three years after opening its doors to students. The seal of approval came in June 2009, just a year after it was granted candidacy toward accreditation.</p><p>"That's as fast as any institution has ever moved to membership," Chard said.</p><p>Florida Poly officials said they appreciated the suggestions. "We have been kind of operating half in the dark, and you have shed a lot of light on it for us," Featherman said.</p><p>"I even told J.D. we would get you all through it no matter what structure you all came up with," said Wheelan, in what appeared to be a reference to former Sen. J.D. Alexander, the Republican who pushed legislation through to create the university.</p><p>Florida Poly Chairman Rob Gidel said the board is determined to put quality over speed. "We are going to do this right," he said.</p><p>"There are those (in the political arena) who would like to do things fast in lieu of things that are the right thing to do to make it sustainable. We are not going to try to do it so fast that you end up making all kinds of short-term mistakes. That's just now how we're going to do this."</p>